News and analysis
July 22, 2012
Early-Career Nonprofit Employees: a Portrait
Findings from a survey of more than 913 young professionals who have worked at nonprofits for less than five years, conducted by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, with help from Nonprofit Leadership Alliance and Young Nonprofit Professionals Network:
Who’s Looking for Early-Career Nonprofit Jobs—and What They’re Finding
31% are actively seeking a job at another nonprofit group
10% are actively seeking a job outside the nonprofit world
39% of those seeking a nonprofit job have been looking for more than six months.
Education and Training
56% hold a bachelor’s degree as their highest level of completed education
29% hold a master’s degree
27% of master’s degrees are in nonprofit management or a similar discipline
38% of those who plan to attain a master’s degree say they want to earn one in nonprofit management
The Top 5 Causes to Which Fledging Nonprofit Workers Want to Dedicate Their Careers
Community foundations: 32%
Public affairs/advocacy: 31%
Social services: 30%
Colleges and universities: 28%
International/humanitarian aid: 26%
Early-Career Nonprofit Workers and Health-Care Benefits
74% receive health insurance through their employer
Of those who do:
38% are seeking a new job
Of those who do not:
48% receive it through a parent
14% have no coverage at all
53% are seeking a new job
The Role of Student-Loan Debt
65% of early-career nonprofit workers have student-loan debt
Of those who do:
30% of those have debt of $50,000 or more
31% have less than $20,000 in debt
82% say it has influence their career decisions
Note: Based on responses from 913 people who have been in the nonprofit workforce less than five years.